Environmental hazards such as poisonous gases including carbon monoxide and smoke lead to significant numbers of fatalities each year. These hazards may not be readily observable by those in danger. Fixed monitors may be placed in locations where individuals might be exposed to such hazards to detect the hazard and alert the individuals to the danger. However, there may be no requirement, either in public or private locations, that such monitors be installed, and individuals may be unnecessarily put at risk. Furthermore, individuals may not know whether such monitors are in place and therefore, may not know that they are at risk.
Mobile communications devices such as cellular telephones, mobile Internet devices, personal daily assistant devices, and the like are becoming ubiquitous devices. Furthermore, mobile communications networks provide mobile communications service to most populated areas of many countries. Thus, it is possible, if not likely, that individuals being exposed to environmental hazards are carrying a mobile communications device. However, mobile communications devices merely give the individual the ability to report an environmental hazard that has been detected by some other means. If the individual is not alerted to an otherwise undetectable hazard, then the user may remain unaware of the hazard, and the mobile communications device will be of no assistance.